Indigenous Jumma people residing in Dhaka staged a protest march and rally Friday at the University of Dhaka's TSC, calling for a 72-hour blockade of roads and waterways in their home districts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
The protest was in response to recent arson attacks and indiscriminate military firing in Khagrachari, with demonstrators demanding justice for the victims.
The protest began at 10am at the Anti-Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture, where indigenous students and citizens denounced the arson incident in Dighinala on Sept. 19, along with the alleged military violence in the region. Protesters called for punishment of those responsible and raised concerns over escalating communal tensions.
On Sept. 18, a local youth in Khagrachhari died after crashing into an electric pole while attempting to flee from an alleged mob beating. The incident sparked unrest as settler Bengalis reportedly chased Jumma people in the Pankhaiyapara area. The next day, a group of settler Bengalis marched in Dighinala, chanting slogans against the Jumma community, leading to clashes and the burning of Jumma-owned businesses and homes. At least 30 houses and businesses were torched, according to local sources, states a press release by the organisers.
Later that night, military forces allegedly opened fire indiscriminately in multiple areas of Khagrachhari, killing two Jummas: Junan Chakma from Jamtali and Rubel Chakma from Paltanjay Para. The violence left at least 40 people injured, with many still receiving treatment in hospitals, it added.
During the protest, demonstrators decried further attacks by settler Bengalis on indigenous people in various parts of Rangamati. They reported the vandalism and looting of homes and religious sites, including the Bonrupa Maitri Monastery, where one indigenous person, Anik Kumar Chakma, was killed.
Speakers at the rally included Nabangsu Chakma, a law student at Dhaka University, who presided over the event, and Satez Chakma, a history student at the university, who served as moderator. Other speakers included leaders from indigenous student organizations, labor associations, and human rights groups.
Nabangsu Chakma announced a 72-hour blockade of roads and waterways in the Chittagong Hill Tracts to demand justice for the victims of the violence.
Protesters issued the following demands:
1. Ensure the safety of life and property for Jumma residents in the three hill districts, including those affected by the communal violence in Dighinala.
2. Launch a United Nations-supervised investigation into the Khagrachari and Dighinala incidents and punish the perpetrators.
3. Provide compensation to the families of those killed by military firing and ensure medical treatment for the injured.
4. Rebuild the damaged Buddhist monasteries and provide adequate compensation to the owners of destroyed shops and homes.
5. Dismiss and take punitive action against military and civilian officials involved in the violence.
6. Withdraw military and settler Bengalis from the Chittagong Hill Tracts to establish peace and stability.
7. Implement the Chittagong Hill Tracts Agreement and grant autonomy as a political solution to the ongoing conflict.
The protesters hoped that the indigenous Jumma people would be included in the broader movement for a democratic Bangladesh. However, demonstrators said they have instead been met with violence and oppression, forcing many to flee their homes for safety in the jungles.